DJI Matrice 5T vs 4T vs 4TD: Which One Fits Your Job
Three DJI Matrice thermal drones, three quite different jobs. The Matrice 5T has the sharpest thermal and the most sensing, the Matrice 4T is the lighter-on-the-wallet workhorse, and the Matrice 4TD is the weather-sealed one built to live in a dock. Here's how to pick, using DJI's own numbers and nothing else.
The short answer
- Want the clearest thermal picture and plan to fly in all weather? Matrice 5T.
- Mostly flying in fair weather and want proven 640 thermal for less? Matrice 4T.
- Need IP55 at 640 thermal, or want a DJI Dock 3 down the track? Matrice 4TD.
If that's all you needed, sorted. If you want the reasons, read on.
Side by side
| Matrice 5T | Matrice 4T | Matrice 4TD | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Thermal sensor | 1280 × 1024 native | 640 × 512 | 640 × 512 |
| Boosted thermal output | Up to 2560 × 2048 (UHR mode) | 1280 × 1024 (High-Res mode) | 1280 × 1024 (UHR mode) |
| Visual cameras | Three 50 MP: wide, medium tele, tele | Three 48 MP: wide, medium tele, tele | Three 48 MP: wide, medium tele, tele |
| Laser rangefinder | Up to 3,000 m | Up to 1,800 m | Up to 1,800 m |
| Max flight time* | 59 min | 49 min | 54 min |
| Weather rating | IP55 | None, not waterproof | IP55 |
| Controller | DJI RC Plus 3 Enterprise | DJI RC Plus 2 Enterprise | DJI RC Plus 2 Enterprise |
| Battery in the combo | No, sold separately | Yes | No, uses the Matrice 4D Series battery |
*DJI's figures, measured in still air with no payload. Real flights come in under that, more so with a speaker or spotlight fitted.
Thermal: why the 5T's sensor matters
All three find heat. The difference is how much detail you get when you do. The 5T's sensor is 1280 × 1024 natively, four times the pixels of a 640 × 512 sensor. That matters when you're flying higher to cover more ground, or trying to tell what a heat signature actually is before you send someone out to it.
The 4T and 4TD both have a 640 × 512 sensor with a mode that outputs 1280 × 1024. That's a sharper image to look at, but it's processing, not extra pixels on the sensor. For a lot of farm and pest work, 640 thermal does the job fine. Plenty of people run it every week.
Weather: the 4T is the odd one out
This is the big one people miss. DJI gives the Matrice 4T no IP rating and says plainly it isn't waterproof. If you're the type who flies when the job needs doing, rain or not, that rules it out.
The 5T and 4TD are both IP55, so dust and wet weather aren't a deal-breaker. If your country is dusty, wet or both, weigh that up before you weigh up the price.
Flight time and batteries
On DJI's numbers the 5T flies longest at up to 59 minutes, then the 4TD at 54 and the 4T at 49. Treat those as best-case. Wind, cold mornings and accessories all eat into it.
Batteries are where people get caught out at checkout:
- The 5T Worry-Free Plus combo comes without a flight battery. You'll need at least one Matrice 5 Series battery to fly.
- The 4T runs on the Matrice 4 Series battery, the same one as the Matrice 4E.
- The 4TD uses the Matrice 4D Series battery, which doesn't swap with the 4T's.
Whichever you go with, a spare battery is worth it. Swapping one in beats sitting in the ute waiting on a charge.
Sensing and safety
The 5T adds rotating LiDAR, millimetre-wave radar and omnidirectional vision for obstacle sensing, and DJI says it can pick up power lines. If you fly near wires, trees or sheds at night, that's a real step up.
The 4TD comes with omnidirectional binocular vision and a 3D infrared sensor underneath as standard. DJI's optional Obstacle Sensing Module (sold separately) adds LiDAR and mmWave radar. The 4T has the same omnidirectional binocular vision and 3D infrared sensor setup, plus an NIR auxiliary light that reaches out to 100 m.
The dock question
The "D" in 4TD means it's built to work from a DJI Dock 3, where it can launch, land and charge on its own. You don't have to buy the dock, though. With the RC Plus 2 Enterprise it flies like any other DJI drone. If you think you'll want a dock later, the 4TD keeps that door open. If you won't, you're paying for something you don't use.
Care cover
The 5T Worry-Free Plus combo includes a first year of DJI Care Enterprise Plus. Our 4T Worry-Free Plus combo includes one year of DJI Enterprise Care Plus, auto-activated. DJI sets the terms for both, and they can vary by region, so have a read of what's covered before you need it.
So which one?
Here's how we'd put it to you over the counter. If budget's the main limit and you fly in decent weather, the 4T is hard to argue with. If you want the best thermal image you can get from DJI's compact range and you don't want rain to stop you, the 5T is the one, just add a battery to the cart. The 4TD makes the most sense if weather sealing at 640 thermal matters to you, or there's a dock in your future.
Before you fly any of them for hunting or pest work, have a read of our guide to using a drone for hunting in Australia. And if you're still stuck between two, tell us what you're flying over and what you need to see. We'll tell you straight which one suits.
See all three side by side on our thermal drones page.